Storage apparatus for filamentary material

ABSTRACT

A device for the storage of filamentary material includes a storage member supported from a support member for rotation with respect thereto, the storage member having a free end over which stored material can be taken off, the storage member having at its free end a cross-sectional area declining toward that free end, the device comprising an annular member surrounding the storage member adjacent the free end thereof, the opening of the annular member having a cross-sectional area declining toward the free end for checking ballooning of the filamentary material during take-off.

United States Patent 1 1 1 1 3,761,031

Pfarrwaller Sept. 25, 1973 [54] STORAGE APPARATUS FOR 2,629,566 2/ 1953King 242/128 FILAMENTARY MATERIAL 3,411,548 11/1968 Pfarrwaller242/47.l2 X

3,225,446 12/1965 Sarfati et al. 242/47.l2 X [75] Inventor: ErwinPiarrwaller, Winterthur,

Swnzerland Primary Examiner-Wemer H. Schroeder [73] Assignee: SulzerBrothers Limited, Winterthur, AttorneyPennie, Edmonds, Morton, Taylor &

Switzerland Adams [22] Filed: May 4, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 140,159 [57]ABSTRACT A device for the storage of filamentary material in- [30]Foreign Application P i it D t cludes a storage member supported from asupport May 14 1970 Switzerland 7181/70 member for rotation with resPectthem! the Storage 7 member having a free end over which stored material52 us. (:1. 242/4701, 242/4712 can be take" the Wage member having atits free [51] Int. Cl B6511 51/20 end a cross'sectional area decliningtoward that free 58 Field of Search 242/36 37, 39, 47.01, end, thedevice cmprising an annular member 242/47 08 7 2; 66/132; rounding thestorage member adjacent the free end 13/122 127 57/106 thereof, theopening of the annular member having a cross-sectional area decliningtoward the free end for 56] References Cited checking ballooning of thefilamentary material during UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,519,786 8/1950 Paabo139/127 P 3 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP25|915 SHEET 1 OF 6//7V'/7/0f.' Erwin Pfarrwclller ATTORNEYS PATENTED8EP251975 3,761,031

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Erwin Pfur'rwoller ATTORNEYS PATENTEDSEPEEW 3,761,031

SHEET 3 BF 6 Wen/0r: Erwin Pfurrwaller ATTORNEYS NEE? HI SEPZ 5 sum u of6 ma m E 1mm NM r. 0 H T fl w ww m WWW PATENTEDSEPZSW 3.761.031

SHEET 5 IF 6 l/we/rfar: Erwin Pfurrwoller BY 6 m, I

ATTORNEYS PATENTED SEP25 975 SHEET 8 0F 6 in P Y M enfar: farrwoller 9Wl z (u ATTO RNEYS invention constitutes an improvement on that disclosedin my US. Pat. No. 3,411,548 assigned to the assignee hereof. Thatpatent discloses a thread storage apparatus which includes a rotatingtlyer or thread guide having a hollow shaft through which the thread ispassed to an arm on the flyer, and a drum supported on and rotatablewith respect to that shaft. By rotation of the flyer the thread is woundonto the drum, at a portion thereof of conical shape sloping radiallyinwardly toward the free end of the drum. Successive coils of threadlaid onto this concial part push previous coils onto the cylindricalpart of the drum to form a length of thread stored thereon and availableto be pulled off. Weights or magnets are provided to hold the drumagainst rotation without interfering with pulling of the thread off thefree end of the drum as the thread is picked through the shed of theloom, for example in a loom of the gripper shuttle type.

In one form of apparatus disclosed in that patent the drum incudes atits free end a conical portion of diameter declining toward the freeend, and with the drum there is associated an annular array of radiallyinwardly directed bristles which engage this conical portion andconstitute a braking ring. In another form of apparatus disclosed inthat patent the drum is cylindrical, except for the conical part ontowhich the thread is laid by the flyer. In particular the drum iscylindrical at the free end thereof, and a ring of short axial lengthand inwardly bounded by a cylindrical surface surrounds the free end ofthe drum with clearance therefrom. The thread pulled off the drum by thegripper shuttle in the course of a pick must pass through an eyesituated on the axis of the drum, and in the apparatus disclosed in thatpatent this eye must be disposed at a relatively long axial distancefrom the drum. This relatively long axial distance is required toavoidtoo sharp a change in direction of the thread toward the axis during thepull-off motion. As a result of this distance, however, the storagedevice must be relatively far from the machine with which it cooperates.

According to the present invention a storage device includes a storagemember onto which filamentary material is wound. The storage member hasa free end over shich stored material is taken off, the end having aprogressively'reduced cross-sectional area. The storage device alsoincludes an annular member in the region of the free end of the storagemember, the opening of the annular member having a progressively reducedcross-sectional area for checking ballooning of the filamentary materialduring take-off. The material to be taken off can then be divertedtowards the storage member axis immediately after it leaves the storagemember. There is a very little friction between the material and thestorage member or the balloon checking member, and the ballooning of thematerial taken off is very slight, so that the material processed issubject to less stress and its take-off tension is reduced. The free endof the storage member and the annular balloon checking member areadapted to the course followed by the material, and the material takes avery short path to the eye through which it must pass on the axis of thestorage member. Since the distance between this eye and the storagemember can therefore be reduced, the storage device takes up less spacebeside the associated textile machine.

The gap between the storage member and annular member may be variable.Preferably the annular member is axially movable. If the material to beprocessed on the storage device is, for example, very thin or easilytangled yarn the gap can be made smaller than in the case of thickermaterial such as jute. In the latter case the gap may be made largeenough to allow any knots, impurities in the yarn or the like, to passthrough unhindered.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be furtherdescribed in terms of a number of exemplary embodiments and withreference to the' accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic axial sectional view through a storage devicefor filamentary material in accordance with the invention as applied tointermediate weft thread storage in association with a gripper shuttleloom schematically indicated;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary axial section through another form of storagedevice for filamentary material according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a view in elevation taken in the direction indicated by thearrow II in FIG. 2, of the member 101 of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are fragmentary views similar to that of FIG. 3, butshowing variant shapes for the slot 109 seen in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 9 are fragmentary axial sections through other forms ofstorage device for filamentary material according to the invention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the base member 106 inthe embodiment of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view of still another form of storage devicefor filamentary material according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1, a hollow sha ft 26is rotatably mounted in ball bearings 25 in a base 24 fixed to the frameof a loom. The shaft is pierced laterally by at least one hole 38providing an exit for a weft 10, which comes from a'weft supply bobbin11 on the loom. During operation of the loom, the bobbin 11 remainspermanently outside a shed indicated at 72, formed from warp yarns 71 bya shedding mechanism not shown and constituting part of the loom. 'Afterthe weft has passed through the temporary weft store of the invention,generally indicated at 2 in FIG. 1, it runs through a fixed eye 66 inthe loom and then through a yarn tensioner 68 and another fixed eye 69in the loom. The yarn tensioner 68 moves up and down during loomoperation as indicated by arrow 67. After the weft 10 leaves the eye 69,a yarn feeder and positioner 97 feeds it to a gripper shuttle 12 beforeeach pick, and this shuttle grips the weft and picks it into the shed72. The yarn feeder 97 reciprocates as indicated by an arrow 96.

In the temporary weft thread storage device or store generally indicatedat 22, a cone 39 is mounted on the hollow shaft 26, the right-hand endof which extends beyond the cone to a stub 42, on which a yarn storagemember or drum 44 is mounted by means of ball bearings 43.

The shaft 26, shown broken away at 81, is rotated by suitable means notshown, which may for example be of the character shown in U. S. Pat. No.3,411,548. A weight 70, cast in the bottom of the drum 44 or otherwisefastened thereto, unbalances the drum and therefore prevents it fromrotating with the shaft 26.

The storage drum 44 has a conical extension 45 on the (in FIG. 1)left-hand end thereof and a conical portion 82 on its free right-handend. An annular member 101 is provided in the region of the conicalportion 82 and has on its inside surface substantially the same conicityas the portion 82. Thus, at the free end of the drum, itscross-sectional area declines progressively toward that free end, andthe cross-sectional area of the opening in the annular member 101similarly declines toward that free end.

The weft is taken off the bobbin 1 1, runs through the hollow shaft 26,through a hole Y38 and a feed eye 41 on the cone 39 and then reaches theconical extension 45 on the drum 44. A coil of weft forms on thisextension 45, but because the extension is conical this coil slides tothe right in FIG. 1 on to the smooth surface of the drum. As eachfurther coil is formed, the coil which has slipped off is pushed furtherto the right. As soon as there are several coils on the drum, the entiresinglelayer winding 73 is moved further to the right thereon.

During each pick a supply of weft equal to the weaving width of the loomis pulled off the drum 44, over the free conical end 82 thereof. Duringthis operation the weft runs through the conical gap 102 between theconical portion 82 and the annular member 101, which latter is providedto prevent the formation of a balloon of weft.

Since the weft being taken off the drum is diverted directly towards thedrum axis 85 due to the conicity of the portion 82 and the member 101,Le. due to the conical shape of the gap between them, and sincepractically no ballooning of the yarn can occur in the vicinity of theportion 82 and the member 101, the temporary weft store 22 can belocated relatively close to the fixed eye 66 in the loom. The distance103 is therefore relatively short.

In FIG. 1 therefore the shaft 26 constitutes a support member from whichthe storage drum or member '44 is supported for rotation with respect tothat support member. The storage member 44 has at its free end across-sectional area, in planes perpendicular to the axis of relativerotation of the members 26 and 44, which declines toward the free end ofthe storage member. The ring 101 constitutes an annular membersurrounding the storage member 44 adjacent the free end of the latter,and the cross-sectional area of the opening in the member 101 likewisedeclines toward the free end of the storage member.

In the temporary weft store of FIG. 2, the drum 44 has on its freeright-hand end a shoulder 104, provided to prevent the individual coilsof weft 10 at the righthand end of the layer 73 from slipping offprematurely. The axial length of the layer 73 required on the drum 44for a given yarn supply is greater in the case of thicker, heavier yarnthan in the case of thinner, lighter yarn. With heavier yarn theright-hand end of the winding 73 may come close to the shoulder 104during operation.

Another difference in the modification shown in FIG. 2 is that therotating cone 39 of FIG. 1 is replaced by a rotating feed tube 105, towhose outer end the feed eye 41 is fixed. The cone 39 and the feed tube105 may both be described as a flyer arm. Instead of the weight 70, themodification of FIG. 2 has a magnetic arrangement to prevent the drum 44from rotating. This comprises a first permanent magnet 107, housed in afixed base portion 106, and a second permanent magnet 108 situatedinside the drum 44 and cooperating with the first permanent magnet. Theconical annular member 101 is fixed to the base portion 106, a spacerring 110 being inserted between them. The conical gap 102 can be variedby inserting thicker or thinner spacer rings 110 according to the yarnbeing processed.

As FIG. 3 shows, the annular member 101 contains a tear-shaped slot 109,through which to pull the yarn. The spacer ring 110 also has a slotlocated in FIG. 2 on the left of slot 109. Furthermore the member 101com tains a hole 111 through which the operator can insert his fingerwhen operation begins, before there is a coil 73 of weft on the drum.The weft 10 is first threaded through the tube 105, inserted in the slot109, so that its free end is pushed in FIG. 2 to the right. Afterwardsthe free end of the thread is pulled out through the end of the member101 to the right in FIG. 2. At the same time the thread passes throughthe slot of spacer ring 110. It is then passed through components 66, 68and 69, shown in FIG. 1, to the yarn feeder 97. When the temporary weftstore has been switched on and the rotor 105 set into rotation, thefinger or some other article is inserted through the hole 111 and heldon the shoulder 104. The coil 73 thenforms immediately.

FIG. 2 also shows a device comprising a stationary light source 112 anda reflector 113 on the drum by means of which rotation of the tube 105can be braked or stopped when the winding 73 extends far enough to theright on the drum to interrupt a light beam extending from the source112 to the reflector 113. When subsequent picks have used up enough ofthe yarn supply at 73 for the light beam to pass from the source 1 12 tothe reflector 113 again, rotation of the feed tube is resumed.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show modifications 109a and 10% of the yarn slot 109. Theslot 10% extends continuously across part of the annular member 101.

The temporary weft store shown in FIG. 6 has a device, synchronized withthe picking action of the loom, for adjusting the conical gap 102between the conical or substantially conical outer surface on thestorage member 44 and the conical or substantially conical insidesurface of the annular member 101. The synchronization is provided by aplate 1 16 which is mounted on the main shaft 114 of the loom, orcoupled thereto to turn revolution for revolution therewith. The plate116 contains a slit which cooperates with a signal generating device117. The device 117 may be of known construction and may bephotoelectric in nature, or may operate on principles of electromagneticinduction or otherwise, to generate a periodic electrical signal at therate of rotation of the plate 116. The device 117 is connected to aswitching device 118, by means of which an electromagnet 119 isperiodically energized, once for each rotation of plate 116. This magnet119 is housed in a fixed base portion 121, and its armature is formed bya member 122 to which the annular member 101 is fixed. The members 122and 101 are movable horizontally in FIG. 6 in a bearing element 123 andare biased by a spring 124 in the direction of a stop 125.

Toward the end of each pick the slit 115 in the plate 116 passes thedevice 117 permitting light to pass between the two limbs of the deviceso that the electromagnet 119 is energized by the switching device 118.The member 101, with the armature 122, thereupon moves to the left inFIG. 6, overcoming the bias of the spring 124, until components 119 and122 touch. The gap 102 is thereby reduced, optionally to the extent ofproducing a slight braking action on the yarn.

The gap 102 is then restored when the electromagnet 119 is de-energized.The resistance to passage of the thread through the gap 102 is therebymade low at the beginning of each pick.

The position of the stop 125 is adjustable by means of a setscrew 126.FIG. 6 also shows teeth 127 for guiding the gripper shuttle 12 as itflies through the shed.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the gap 102between the annularmember 101 and the shoulder 104, on the drum 44 is adjustable manuallyby means of an adjusting screw 128 inserted in an oblique slot 129 inthe base member 106, as shown in FIG. 8.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the winding diameter a of the drum44, which has a rounded-off or cambered free end 120, is greater thanthe diameter b at the small end of the annular checking member 101a,which is shaped with a corresponding rounded-off or cambered reduction130. The drum 44 may be provided with a shoulder 104 whose diameter c isgreater than the diameter b. In this embodiment either the windingdiameter a or, if there is a shoulder 104, the diameter c of thisshoulder is greater than the exit diameter b of the checking member1010.

Alternatively the annular member 101 may extend further to the right inFIG. 1, optionally as far as or al most as far as the fixed eye 66. Theeye 66 may be constituted by the right-hand end of the annular checkingmember (FIG. 10), so that this member forms a complete funnel 101b.

The yarn 10 may also be fed to the drum 44 from a.

point fixed with reference to the loom, if the drum 44 itself rotates.In'this case the drum 44 must be driven. In such an embodiment the baseor other stationary bearing member in which the drum is joumaledconstitutes the support member, in place of the rotatable shaft 26 ofFIG. 1. The drum constitutes the storage member as before, and theannular member may be of substantially the same construction as in theembodiments heretofore described, notwithstanding the relative motionbetween it and the storage member which occurs during laying of coilsonto the storage member.

Particularly if, as is desirable, the gap 102 is small, the two members82 and 101 of FIG. 10 cooperate to form a funnel-shaped guide pointingin the direction of the eye 66, for the purpose of stabilizing the yarn10.

In a further embodiment, the free end of the drum 44 may be rounded offor cambered and the associated annular member 101 may be conical, orvice versa. Instead of a drum 44 a reel or cage-like storage member maybe used. Also, the annular member 101 may be split.

The storage device can also be used, for example, as a feed wheel unitfor the knitting points of a knitting machine, or with winding frames,wire winding machines and the like.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a device for thestorage of filamentary material comprising a support member 26, and astorage member 44 supported from the support member for rotation withrespect thereto. The storage member has a free endover which storedmaterial can be taken off, and the storage member has at its free end aportion of cross-sectional area declining toward that freeend, forexample as indicated at 82 in FIG. 1. The device further comprises anannular member 101 surrounding at least a portion of the storage memberadjacent the free end thereof, the opening of the annular member havinga crosssectional area declining toward that free end for checkingballooning of the filamentary material during takeoff.

According to another feature of the invention, the annular member may bemade movable lengthwise of the axis of relative rotation of the supportmember and storage member, and there may be provided means, asillustrated for example in FIG. 2, to impose a cyclical relative motionon the storage member and annular member parallel to that axis. Thestorage member may include an annular radially extendling shoulder, forex- .ample as illustrated at 104 in FIG. 2, axially adjacent the annularmember. The annular member may include a slot, as shown for example at109 in FIG. 3, through which the filamentary material can pass. Theannular member may be apertured opposite the surface of the portion ofthe storage member of declining crosssection, for example as shown at111 in FIG. 3. Desirably the smallest diameter of the storage member onthe side of that portion which is remote from the free end of thestorage member is greater than the smallest diameter of the openingthrough the annular member. The annular member may also have the shapeof a funnel, as shown at 10112 in FIG. 10. The portion of the storagemember of declining cross-section may have a conical surface, asindicated at 82 in FIG. 1. It may however have a surface conforming, forexample, to a zone of .a sphere, or other surface of revolutiongenerated by a curve concave toward its axis of revolution.

While the invention has been described hereinabove in terms of a numberof presently preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention itself isnot limited thereto but rather comprehends all modifiication of anddepartures from those embodiments falling within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for the storage of filamentary material comprising a supportmember, a storage member supported from the support member for rotationabout an axis with respect thereto, the storage member having a free endover which stored material can be taken off, the storage member havingatits free end a portion of cross-sectional area declining toward thatfree end, the

- device further comprising an annular member surcomprising a supportmember, a storage member supported from the support member for rotationabout an axis with respect thereto, thestorage member having a free endover which stored material can be taken off, the storage member havingat its free end a portion of cross-sectional area declining toward thatfree end, the device further comprising an annular member surrounding atleast a portion of the storage member adjacent the free end thereof, theopening of the annular member having a cross-sectional area decliningtoward said free end for checking ballooning of the filamentary materialduring take-off, the device further including means to adjust theposition of the annular member relative to the storage member lengthwiseof said axis to adjust the resistance to passage of a thread through theopening formed between the annular member and the storage member.

3. Apparatus for the accumulation and temporary storage of lengths offilamentary material withdrawn from a supply, said apparatus comprisinga hollow rotatable shaft, a bearing supporting the shaft for rotation, astorage member rotatably supported at one end from the shaft, meansrestraining the storage member against rotation, a flyer arm affixed tothe shaft and extending radially and axially into exterior overlappingrelation with the storage member at said one end thereof, the storagemember having a smooth exterior surface conforming substantially to asurface of revolution, said exterior surface including at said one end asubstantially frusto-conical portion aligned with said flyer arm, thelarge end of said portion being adjacent said shaft, a filamentarymaterial passing through the hollow rotatable shaft and over the flyerarm being laid on said exterior surfaces of the storage member into asingle layer wrapping of filamentary material on said surfaces wherebythe turns of the single layer wrapping of the filamentary material solaid onto said member by said flyer arm are readily axially slideabletoward the opposite end of said storage member, said exterior surfacefurther including at said opposite end of the storage member asubstantially frusto-conical portion the small end of which is remotefrom said one end, said apparatus further comprising an annular membersurrounding with clearance said last-named portion, the opening of theannular member having over at least part of the axial length of saidlast-named portion a cross-sectional area declining toward said oppositeend.

1. A device for the storage of filamentary material comprising a supportmember, a storage member supported from the support member for rotationabout an axis with respect thereto, the storage member having a free endover which stored material can be taken off, the storage member havingat its free end a portion of cross-sectional area declining toward thatfree end, the device further comprising an annular member surrounding atleast a portion of the storage member adjacent the free end thereof, theopening of the annular member having a cross-sectional area decliningtoward said free end for checking ballooning of the filamentary materialduring take-off, the device further including means to impose a cyclicalrelative motion on the storage member and annular member parallel tosaid axis.
 2. A device for the storage of filamentary materialcomprising a support member, a storage member supported from the supportmember for rotation about an axis with respect thereto, the storagemember having a free end over which stored material can be taken off,the storage member having at its free end a portion of cross-sectionalarea declining toward that free end, the device further comprising anannular member surrounding at least a portion of the storage memberadjacent the free end thereof, the opening of the annular member havinga cross-sectional area declining toward said free end for checkingballooning of the filamentary material during take-off, the devicefurther including means to adjust the position of the annular memberrelative to the storage member lengthwise of said axis to adjust theresistance to passage of a thread through the opening formed between theannular member and the storage member.
 3. Apparatus for the accumulationand temporary storage of lengths of filamentary material withdrawn froma supply, said apparatus comprising a hollow rotatable shaft, a bearingsupporting the shaft for rotation, a storage member rotatably supportedat one end from the shaft, means restraining the storage member againstrotation, a flyer arm affixed to the shaft and extending radially andaxially into exterior overlapping relation with the storage member atsaid one end thereof, the storage member having a smooth exteriorsurface conforming substantially to a surface of revolution, saidexterior surface including at said one end a substantiallyfrusto-conical portion aligned with said flyer arm, the large end ofsaid portion being adjacent said shaft, a filamentary material passingthrough the hollow rotatable shaft and over the flyer arm being laid onsaid exterior surfaces of the storage member into a single layerwrapping of filamentary material on said surfaces whereby the turns ofthe single layer wrapping of the filamentary material so laid onto saidmember by said flyer arm are readily axially slideable toward theopposite end of said storage member, said exterior surface furtherincluding at said opposite end of the storage member a substantiallyfrusto-conical portion the small end of which is remote from said oneend, said apparatus further comprising an annular member surroundingwith clearance said last-named portion, the opening of the annularmember having over at least part of the axial length of said last-namedPortion a cross-sectional area declining toward said opposite end.